Earthquake Hazard Reduction


Resources for Earthquake Hazard Reduction

What is Standard Plan Set A?

This plan set is a standard template for strengthening homes to better withstand earthquake shaking. When approved by the local building official, the plan set may be used to strengthen older homes without the need for an engineer to develop costly site-specific plans and design calculations. This plan set provides a low-cost method to help improve an older home’s chances of surviving an earthquake.

Who can use this plan set?

If your home meets all of the following criteria, your house qualifies to use this plan set. If your home does not meet one of these criteria, you should contact an engineer.

  • One or two family residential structure
  • Two stories or less
  • Wood-framed construction
  • Has a continuous perimeter foundation (ignoring the immediate areas surrounding the fireplace and porches)
  • All of the cripple walls are less than four feet in height (see top left picture for an example of a cripple wall)
  • If home has brick or stone veneer along the exterior walls (excluding the chimney), it is less than four feet in height above the foundation
  • Roofing is a material other than clay tile

What does the plan set say needs to be done to my house?

The three main components of this plan set are demonstrated in the pictures at the top of the page in ABAG link page. They include:

  • Bolting the cripple wall mudsill to the foundation
  • Installing plywood brace panels to the cripple walls
  • Connecting the cripple wall to the floor above

FEMA Plans

Additional Resources


GAS SHUT-OFF DEVICES